Aurora Exploration, Iceland

Transfer by airport bus from Keflavik airport to your hotel in Reykjavík. The remainder of day at your leisure to explore Iceland’s vibrant capital city on your own, or join an optional Reykjavík Day Tour. Overnight in Reykjavík

Meet your tour guide and start your day with a Reykjavík city tour where you’ll see some highlights of Iceland’s capital before heading out of the city, to the western part of the country – stop in Borgarnes and learn about Iceland’s earliest days at the Settlement Center. Next we head to Borgarfjörður, known as the Saga Valley because of its many important historical events. Get a chance to climb the Grábrók volcano crater and visit Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. Hraunfossar is a series of waterfalls pouring from beneath a wide lava field. Barnafoss – the Children’s falls, is nearby with its own tragic tale. The afternoon includes a lecture about Northern Lights. After dinner, step into the hotel garden in search of the Northern Lights followed by a hot beverage. Overnight in West Iceland

Today’s touring takes you to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts out like an arm from mainland Iceland. This area is most known for its many varied landscapes and gorgeous views. Visit the fishing village of Grundarfjörður, a place with an impressive coastline and mountains, lakes and waterfalls behind the village. One of the most photographed and famous mountains in Iceland, Kirkjufell, can be seen jutting out into the bay. Visit Arnarstapi and Hellnar before experiencing the area from below, inside Vatnshellir cave. We take you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! On the way back to Borgarnes the guide gives you some practical tips on how to photograph the Auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the hotel garden to chase the Northern Lights and to soak in the hotel’s outdoor hot tubs. Overnight in West Iceland

Depart West Iceland today, traveling along the whale fjord, to the Golden Circle region. Visit Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next on the route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields, and its main erupting geyser Strokkur. The chef of the Restaurant Geysir invites you to taste freshly baked hot spring bread served with Icelandic butter, boiled eggs and herring. On we travel to the majestic double waterfall of Gullfoss. In the afternoon, learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history, plus visit a geothermal greenhouse before reaching our accommodation in South Iceland. Tonight, step into the darkness and search for the elusive Northern Lights in the peace and stillness of rural Iceland. Overnight in Hella, South Iceland

Today we travel along the South coast. At the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Center, learn about geology and active volcanoes. Further east we visit one of Iceland’s finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artefacts from Iceland’s past and several turf-built houses. Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the more impressive waterfalls in the country. In the afternoon take a stroll on the black lava beach and along bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in South Iceland. Onward to east Iceland where you will spend two nights in the Vatnajökull National Park region, away from city lights and ideal for Northern Lights search. Overnight in Kirkjubæjarklaustur area, southeast

We travel to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the amazing site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sand, known as Diamond Beach, where large icebergs get stranded. In the afternoon we visit the tiny turf church at Hof and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. In the evening enjoy a film presentation about the Northern Lights as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Be careful not to go to bed too soon in this remote and quiet location, or you may miss out one more chance of seeing the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky. From October – April, an optional ice cave tour is offered (duration 2.5 hours) in one of the naturally occurring ice caves created by the glacier. Overnight in Kirkjubæjarklaustur area, southeast

From Kirkjubæjarklaustur we head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vík, where we make a photo stop. The black lava beach with high bird cliffs and pounding waves is awe-inspiring. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges from the mountain. In the afternoon, we get to relax and soak in the naturally heated waters at the famous Blue Lagoon in Grindavik. (Bring your swimsuits!) The minerals in these geo-thermal waters give it the light milky-blue color. Return to Reykjavík in the early evening. Overnight in Reykjavík

Transfer by airport bus to the airport for your return flight to the US or extend your stay in Scandinavia!